Whales and Tales

On a sunny August day, a young boy gets a chance to ride through the ocean on the back of a wise old whale. As told by a local, Louie assumes his journey from his home in New York City to a beach community is just part of an ordinary day. It is only when he learns the secret of bala, mala, whala that he realizes how important it is for us to join hands and celebrate the diversity and richness of our human existence with compassion and love.

I am pleased to announce that my very first children’s book, The Legend of Eddie the Whale has now launched! This has been a very exciting week for me with my very first school visit to my grandson’s kindergarten class on lauch day.

While my book is not specifically about any group, it is important for me to show positive examples of diversity in my books. Examples that allow the reader to SEE that we are ALL part of the mainstream and not invisible in literature. It’s about the story, not the difference. We are here. The person first before the identifying factors.

My book includes an example of a man who is homeless.A man with a cochlear implant. A woman in a beach wheelchair. Culturally Deaf individuals using ASL. People of color sharing in a common experience. Positive examples of an aging population. Pictures of diverse populations. Just showing that we all exist rather than making any population invisible—that is what inclusion is all about. Kids need to see themselves and the people they love in books.

The Legend of Eddie the Whale, now available on Amazon by using the following link:

Mary Grace Whalen is a freelance writer, former adjunct professor and a happy grandma. Her favorite things are family, the ocean, painting, Asian cuisine, being around nature, chocolate, warm puppies and of course whale watching. She was a contributing author for the book, Journeys With Grief, A Collection of Articles about Love, Life and Loss published by the Hospice Foundation of America. Her memoir, Living in the Color Magenta, is expected to be available in late 2019. In the meantime, she is working on another children’s book.